The Letter Pile
by Icetail of WindClan - Meta-If
Summary: The history of her parents was so well documented by her father through years and years of letters written like an odd journal, she was just so curious to know what the letter pile in her father's office contained!
1. Dear Nephry, Peony

**New story time, it's related to my crossover Ocean Wings, which you might have read on my DeviantArt. It's a Tales of the Abyss and Fire Emblem Awakening story, and it follows a female Luke (who is just Cordelia from Fire Emblem). This story here is a companion to that story, set ten or eleven years after the end of Abyss, while the letters themselves will be flashbacks of sorts to the past. Hope you enjoy.**

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 _The longest blonde hair disappeared around the corner as a young girl hid from her parents, laughing quietly as they called her name, in a game that was only played when the palace was empty. Turning another corner, the young girl found herself in front of her father's study. Checking the halls around her to make sure that no one was around to spot her; she decided that it would be the perfect hiding place._

 _Inside the room it was a contrast of dark and light, the only light coming from the curtains to the courtyard which were partially closed, her mother's chair sat near the window, and on her father's desk there was an unfinished letter. The letter wasn't dated, it only had a large number at the top. It was addressed to her mother. After a moment of consideration the child decided that it meant that there were many letters proceeding this one. That's when she spied the box on the shelf, unlabelled, unlike every other box. Curiosity got the better of the young girl as she crossed the room to the box and looked inside._

 _It held more letters, sorted, from one to numbers that she hadn't learnt yet. In her young, ten-year-old mind, the girl decided that she would look at the first letter before putting the box back, and finding a proper hiding spot in the room._

 _She opened the letter, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes._

xXxXx

1

Dear Nephry,

This is the first letter of many that I am writing to you that you will probably never read. Not because I am hiding things from you, but simply because; you already know. In truth, this is more of a journal than a letter, but writing this as a letter makes it feel more personal I suppose.

Today you told me that your Score told you that you would marry another man. Someone you haven't met before. You follow the Score so resolutely that I couldn't ask you run away from it. That would be hypocritical of me, since I have been told that I am Scored to rule Malkuth. So I can do nothing but wish you best for the future as we both say goodbye to the relationship we had.

You said that you had been thinking ever since your Score was read, that you were conflicted, but there was no conflict in your eyes when you told me though. You said that we wouldn't have lasted. I don't understand, I don't know why, why won't you tell me your reason? You only smiled at me, told me that you loved me, that you would miss me, then you walked away. Why Nephry?

I suppose I cannot dwell on it anymore. I'm going to miss you Nephry, but this was the best for us in the end. Though know, that in the future I will not appreciate any attempts to matchmake me with another woman.

Until we meet again my dear,

Peony

xXxXx

 _The young girl frowned. Who was Nephry? And why was this letter addressed to her? Her father never mentioned a Nephry before. She looked at the next letter in the box and blinked in surprise when she saw that it too was addressed to this 'Nephry'. Her name was called down the hall and the young girl remembered what she was doing before she started reading the letter. Quickly putting the letter she had been reading back in its place, she pushed the box back on the shelf then ran behind her mother's chair to hide._

 _"Darling, are you in here?" called her mother's voice, as the door opened, and footsteps indicated the woman walking closer to her hiding spot. Then the young girl saw her mother's red hair and crimson eyes that were filled with laugher._

 _"I found you, my little angel," she laughed as she pulled her daughter up, letting the young girl stand as she straightened her dress. "Shall we go tell your papa that I won again?"_

 _"Yes Mama!" The girl said, allowing her mother to lead her out of the room. Before the door shut behind her however, the girl looked back at the box and decided to come back and read the rest of the letters soon. She was a curious child after all._

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 **So I actually started this story a while back, and now I'm uploading it here to be a test of the FFN app publishing tab... so far it's working. I think. The formatting is a joke though... I'll fix it later when I can get on my laptop.**

 **I am working to finish Yuki no Hana... sorry I've been dead for so long.**

 **Until then!**

 **~Icetail of Windclan - Meta-If~**


	2. Dear Nephry, From Peony

**And I'm back with this chapter! I gave up on uploading via the app, it just isn't working. Here we have more mention of Fire Emblem characters! Longer letter too. Hope you enjoy! Chapters will come slowly as I am trying to keep ahead on my posting though posting on Amino. Wanna see the next chapter sooner? Check it out on the Tales of Amino!**

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 _The young girl has once again snuck into her father's study, and has once again taken the box of letters off the shelf and is reading through the. Her parents were in the council room for the next few hours, so she had the time to spare for reading. The room was exactly as her father had left it earlier that day, and the candle was still burning, though it was near the end of the wick. Her mother's chair had a cloak folded over it, and it seemed that someone else had been in the room with them as well._

 _Letters were stacked carefully next to the child, as she inspected them. She had just finished reading the next eight letters, and was pondering over what she had learnt. This Nephry sounded familiar, as if the young girl already knew her. But the girl didn't know any Nephry's did she? She didn't think she did. Her mother had already gotten her to remember the names of every noble in the House of Lords. None of the maids that the young girl had met were called Nephry._

 _Wait, her father once had a rappig named Nephry, didn't he? Who was the rappig named after? The young girl couldn't remember at that moment. With a frustrated sigh, as good of a frustrated sigh that a child could give at least, the girl picked up the next letter, making sure to add the previous letter to the small stack beside her._

 _Once again, it was addressed to Nephry. The ink was red, unlike the previous letters. It looked like the ink that came from her mother's inking set. It reminded the young child of her mother's hair._

xXxXx

10

Dear Nephry,

I want to thank you for this new ink. It's good for writing personal documents. Not something I'd use for official documents, though perhaps I'll swap this ink into Sesemann's ink pot.

Today you came to Grand Chokmah, with your new fiancée at your side. Was I jealous? I'm not sure. I wanted to be that man at your side, however, every time I have that thought, I remember your words you said weeks ago. "We wouldn't have lasted." I think I am more confused than jealous. Your future is a good man, perhaps a bit eccentric, but most certainly a good man. Viscount Osborne will help you rise high in the ranks of nobles.

I know you looked for Jade today, but he was at the Academy. As promised I told him you visited. Would it make you happy to know that he asked about you? Or would you be angry to know that he didn't look up from what he was doing? Do you forgive him for everything that happened when we were young children? Or do you look at what we used to be and feel regret… Like I do everytime I see Jade and Saphir walk towards the Military Headquarters.

I'm returning to Keterburg in a week. My father wants me do get something or other. I think… I think he's dying. The people still dissent over the war, blaming both him and King Ingobert for all our losses. They call out protest… and send hopeful assassins. They don't seem to listen to my father anymore. They call for me, their Crown Prince.

I managed to sneak out of the palace last week, Nephry. I asked the people "why do you want Prince Peony as your Emperor?" Their replies told them much about their low opinion on my father, and my older siblings. They didn't approve of the fight for succession. That's all there is too it, and the war just gave them more justification to demand my father step down.

I suspect that my father was poisoned recently. He won't say anything, he just talks more about me taking the throne, and walks as if there is something sapping his strength. I wish more than ever that I had your strength, Nephry, to rely on, but then, perhaps it isn't your strength I need.

Tell Basilio that if he hurts you then he will answer to me. Heh… he probably already knows that. Not that you can tell him, since I never send these letters.

From Peony

xXxXx

 _The young girl stared at the end of the letter. Uncle Basilio and Aunty Nephry. Her father had been writing his letters to her Aunty. But why? Why not to her mother? Looking back over the letters, the young girl concluded that her father didn't know her mother yet. Her mother always said that she had met father after he became Emperor._

 _The young princess yawned, realising how late it was. She gasped as she quickly and carefully placed all the letters back into the box, noting the number that she was up to, and hurriedly placed the box back onto the shelf. Creeping back over to the door, the young girl straightened her blonde hair, trying to make it look like she hadn't just ran around a room._

 _"Young Majesty," came a voice, when the young girl left the room._

 _"Luna!" the girl gasped, spinning around to see a woman with the same blonde hair that she had, done up in a similar style, with the same blood red eyes. This was the young girl's best friend, who had encouraged her to look through the letter box in her father's study, as if she knew what the young girl would find._

 _"Young Majesty," Luna said, smiling. "Come back to your room with me and you can tell me all about your little adventure when we are there."_

 _Of course the young girl followed Luna, the woman was one of her mother's personal Knights. And Luna looked just like the little princess. The young girl adored Luna. Luna always understood her problems._


End file.
